Walter Finch
MASS demonstrations against ‘excess tourism’ in Malaga have forced the mayor to speak up.
The protests on Saturday called for a reduction in tourist rentals that have driven up rents and reduced the long-term rental housing stock.
Demonstrators gathered in Plaza de la Merced just before midday, where they unfurled a banner reading Malaga para vivir, no sobrevivir (Malaga for living, not surviving).
La Merced, where the Picasso Museum is located, is one of the worst affected neighbourhoods in Malaga, with 68.91% of the housing being used for tourist apartments.
It prompted Mayor Francisco de la Torre to acknowledge Malaga’s housing issues, which he said was ‘driven by the city’s success’.
“The supply of housing is slow to meet this growing demand, not just in Malaga but across Spain,” he explained.
He called for a nationwide strategy involving both public authorities and private developers to encourage house building.
He added that over 5,300 homes had been built in the city during his tenure but conceded that ‘more needs to be done.’
“We cannot do it alone,” he declared, outlining current projects that include the development of 1,168 units in the District Z and Cortijo Merino areas, alongside private sector initiatives.
It comes as shocking recent statistics showed that in the historic centre of Malaga, nearly half of the flats (42.68%) are dedicated to tourists.
As well as squeezing locals out of their own cities, the phenomenon is drastically reducing the rental housing stock and contributing towards a nationwide housing crisis.
With 41,038 registered tourist apartments as of February 2024, Malaga province has witnessed a 16% increase in this type of housing over the past year.
This, locals say, is stripping the city of its identity and ‘soul’, and leaves the city centre practically empty during the off season when the Airbnb and Booking.com flats are not being booked.
The town hall’s most recent policy change has been to require that new tourist lets in apartment blocks have a separate entrance.
Meanwhile, future restrictions are planned for areas deemed to be oversaturated with Airbnbs.
However de la Torre was quick to shift the blame onto the national government’s recent housing law update, which has put landlords off from renting out their properties long-term.
“The current laws do not encourage renting; they deter and intimidate landlords, pushing them towards the more lucrative tourist rentals,” de la Torre said.
He called on the government to revise laws to provide landlords with greater legal security and to stimulate public and long-term rental housing through tax incentives.
He also challenged developers to focus not only on profitable market-rate housing but also on socially responsible projects, including more affordable housing options.
